Halo 3 Impressions

[Altimus]

Re: Halo 3 Impressions

Actually, NAT has nothing to do with game performance. It only has to do with whether you're able to connect to other players or not. You'll get the same speed within a game whether your NAT is open, moderate, or strict. Of course, if you have moderate or strict, you're limiting yourself in the number of games you'll actually be able to connect to.

I know, he did say he had problems getting into a match.

[DaveDQ]

Re: Halo 3 Impressions

I finished the game last night with a friend of mine. All in all, I think the game does indeed live up to the hype. The movie-like atmosphere really delivers. I was a bit let down by the graphics in the cut-scenes. At times, there was just too many jaggies and squared off heads.

The gameplay was good, but Halo 3, with all its additions and excellent online capabilities, leaves me desiring a little more depth as far as actual gameplay goes. With FPS games, I am a bit weary with the "kill this many and you can move on" logic. I feel this is the next thing to address in FPS games. I don't want to have to clear the area before the next checkpoint. That has become too normal and it lacks the sense of playing something more natural/organic.

Overall, the game is great. Online has endless potential. I'd give it a 9.

[Graphik]

Re: Halo 3 Impressions

I finished the game last night with a friend of mine. All in all, I think the game does indeed live up to the hype. The movie-like atmosphere really delivers. I was a bit let down by the graphics in the cut-scenes. At times, there was just too many jaggies and squared off heads.

The gameplay was good, but Halo 3, with all its additions and excellent online capabilities, leaves me desiring a little more depth as far as actual gameplay goes. With FPS games, I am a bit weary with the "kill this many and you can move on" logic. I feel this is the next thing to address in FPS games. I don't want to have to clear the area before the next checkpoint. That has become too normal and it lacks the sense of playing something more natural/organic.

Overall, the game is great. Online has endless potential. I'd give it a 9.

In other words you wish Halo was more open ended. I echo your exact sentiments. Halo is a great game but I've own part 1 and 2 and just recently played 3. Out of all 3, I've had no desire to thoroughly go through an entire campaign in any of them. Due to the lack of open ended-ness. Although I can admit that Halo 3 features some great large scale battles and entertaining bosses, the lack of depth makes it meh in my opinion.

All I'm pretty much asking for is some type of item system that would at the very least make playing a level more immersive. Instead of going from point A to point B....then normally back to point A, they should throw in a few optional side missions or item hunting that would make the Halo world come alive. A hidden cave or a abandoned building or something. I'm not asking for RPG like elements, just something that doesn't feel as scripted as crossing a checkpoint and into another scripted battle/cutscene.

As for multiplayer, this game is pretty much the epidome of fun. It seems as if thats all this game was meant for and SP was an afterthought. Granted, I'm sure that MS and Bungie knows what the fans want more...which seems to be MP as it can and will sell systems and XBox Live memberships, I just wished the put more efford into its SP. As the enemy logic, vehicles, teammate AI and the entire Halo universe is worth exploring more than 5-10 hours each installment.

[garnettrules21]

Re: Halo 3 Impressions

Finally got to spartan officer, got the rogue helmet, pretty cool.

[DaveDQ]

Re: Halo 3 Impressions

In other words you wish Halo was more open ended. I echo your exact sentiments. Halo is a great game but I've own part 1 and 2 and just recently played 3. Out of all 3, I've had no desire to thoroughly go through an entire campaign in any of them. Due to the lack of open ended-ness. Although I can admit that Halo 3 features some great large scale battles and entertaining bosses, the lack of depth makes it meh in my opinion.

All I'm pretty much asking for is some type of item system that would at the very least make playing a level more immersive. Instead of going from point A to point B....then normally back to point A, they should throw in a few optional side missions or item hunting that would make the Halo world come alive. A hidden cave or a abandoned building or something. I'm not asking for RPG like elements, just something that doesn't feel as scripted as crossing a checkpoint and into another scripted battle/cutscene.

As for multiplayer, this game is pretty much the epidome of fun. It seems as if thats all this game was meant for and SP was an afterthought. Granted, I'm sure that MS and Bungie knows what the fans want more...which seems to be MP as it can and will sell systems and XBox Live memberships, I just wished the put more efford into its SP. As the enemy logic, vehicles, teammate AI and the entire Halo universe is worth exploring more than 5-10 hours each installment.

Yes. I feel this way with many Shooter games at this point. Even with GRAW and Rainbow 6, I felt the storyline conflicted with the gameplay. When you are playing these games, and your main objective is to get from point (a) to point (b), the story line becomes very predictable.

The cut-scenes in Halo and the music really add a nice movie feel; however, the storyline is very dull.

[Flawless]

Re: Halo 3 Impressions

Am I the only one that enjoyed the campaign in Halo 3 more than the other two?

No you didn't really get those awe-inspired moments you got while playing the original, but that's hard to recapture with a sequel. The campaign in Halo 3 did feel a lot more like the original though with most missions having that open feeling, but with the more focused and diverse level designs of Halo 2. In other words, taking what both did well. I don't remember the other games having a more enjoyable string of missions than what Halo 3 had with missions 3-7. You may be able to make a case for the original, but certainly not Halo 2. The Ark and The Covenant missions are easily on par with Silent Cartographer and Attack On The Control Room. I also absolutely loved the throwbacks to some of the best parts of the other games. Again, to me it was a fan service from start to finish and I thank Bungie for that.

[plasticbeast]

Re: Halo 3 Impressions

Am I the only one that enjoyed the campaign in Halo 3 more than the other two?

No you didn't really get those awe-inspired moments you got while playing the original, but that's hard to recapture with a sequel. The campaign in Halo 3 did feel a lot more like the original though with most missions having that open feeling, but with the more focused and diverse level designs of Halo 2. In other words, taking what both did well. I don't remember the other games having a more enjoyable string of missions than what Halo 3 had with missions 3-7. You may be able to make a case for the original, but certainly not Halo 2. The Ark and The Covenant missions are easily on par with Silent Cartographer and Attack On The Control Room. I also absolutely loved the throwbacks to some of the best parts of the other games. Again, to me it was a fan service from start to finish and I thank Bungie for that.

I agree with you 100% but Silent cartographer still gets my nod as the best halo level ever though. It was a great way to end the series!

[sportsdude]

Re: Halo 3 Impressions

Am I the only one that enjoyed the campaign in Halo 3 more than the other two?

No you didn't really get those awe-inspired moments you got while playing the original, but that's hard to recapture with a sequel. The campaign in Halo 3 did feel a lot more like the original though with most missions having that open feeling, but with the more focused and diverse level designs of Halo 2. In other words, taking what both did well. I don't remember the other games having a more enjoyable string of missions than what Halo 3 had with missions 3-7. You may be able to make a case for the original, but certainly not Halo 2. The Ark and The Covenant missions are easily on par with Silent Cartographer and Attack On The Control Room. I also absolutely loved the throwbacks to some of the best parts of the other games. Again, to me it was a fan service from start to finish and I thank Bungie for that.

I agree as well. The way the game ended I felt was fitting and the last level was a lot of fun. I'd say more, but I don't want to give away any spoilers.

[tanis38]

Re: Halo 3 Impressions

I agree as well. The way the game ended I felt was fitting and the last level was a lot of fun. I'd say more, but I don't want to give away any spoilers.

I also thought that Halo 3's single-player campaign was great. Better than the previous 2 games. Part 1 had some great levels (The Silent Cartographer is still the best Halo level ever) but many of its levels got repetitive. Plus, the Library level is enough to take you out of the running. It is that bad.

Halo 2 remedies some of the repetitive aspects of Halo 2, but I did not like that so many of the levels took place in "alien" environments. I missed alot of the more familiar, open terrains of the first game.

Halo 3 has a nice balance of both. I still did not like the last 2 levels though. The level before last is probably going to be as infamous as the Library. The last level was not a bad level per se, but it was not what I wanted/expected from the final level of this trilogy.

[davin]

Re: Halo 3 Impressions

I also thought that Halo 3's single-player campaign was great. Better than the previous 2 games. Part 1 had some great levels (The Silent Cartographer is still the best Halo level ever) but many of its levels got repetitive. Plus, the Library level is enough to take you out of the running. It is that bad.

Halo 2 remedies some of the repetitive aspects of Halo 2, but I did not like that so many of the levels took place in "alien" environments. I missed alot of the more familiar, open terrains of the first game.

Halo 3 has a nice balance of both. I still did not like the last 2 levels though. The level before last is probably going to be as infamous as the Library. The last level was not a bad level per se, but it was not what I wanted/expected from the final level of this trilogy.

Library was the one level I absolutely hated to play solo, but co-op it was a blast. I loved Halo 1's campaign but it did get repetitive at the end. Silent Cartographer did indeed rock. For me, the first half of that game's campaign just rocked anything I had played at the time. The second half was good, the Control Room part 2 was still good I thought (though repetitive), but the game's campaign went downhill after that. The Maw was decent but For the most part once I hit the Flood, unless I was co-oping I did not go on.

Halo 2, the campaign was ok. I only played through the campaign twice, both co-op. To me, without co-op I wouldn't have really cared for it as much, just didn't wow me much. The Arbiter's story path kind ruined that game for me.

Halo 3, much much better. The ending levels weren't as good as earlier, but it still played pretty well. The game felt much more epic to me than 2. I don't really like the Brutes as enemies, I liked the elites much better. I really liked the early missions in Halo 3.

[McLite]

Re: Halo 3 Impressions

I agree with you 100% but Silent cartographer still gets my nod as the best halo level ever though. It was a great way to end the series!

Was that the 2nd snow level on Halo? I loved both snow levels immensely. I could still play them over and over.

The 2nd snow level, especially Final Run at the end was great. Invisible elites, Hunters, and tons of little guys running around. I loved to take a ghost and sprint to the banshee and then fly around and bomb everyone.

[Zlax45]

Re: Halo 3 Impressions

Anyone having this issue?

I was playing two people on one 360 online and the game reverted to NON-HD with the black areas on the side of the screen. I can play single player Halo 3 online in HD but once I add that guess it goes into this other format. Any ideas people?

Anyone got an answer for this?

[Beantown]

Re: Halo 3 Impressions

Was that the 2nd snow level on Halo? I loved both snow levels immensely. I could still play them over and over.

The 2nd snow level, especially Final Run at the end was great. Invisible elites, Hunters, and tons of little guys running around. I loved to take a ghost and sprint to the banshee and then fly around and bomb everyone.

Silent Cartographer was the beach level. I believe it is the fourth level in the game.

The 2nd snow level is Attack on the Control Room 2, which was probably the third best level, behind SC and 343 Guilty Spark (no Halo moment will top the original meeting with the Flood, for me).

[Seether4113]

Re: Halo 3 Impressions

Anyone got an answer for this?

Nothing you can do about it. It's just the way it is.

[Sandman42]

Re: Halo 3 Impressions

Was that the 2nd snow level on Halo? I loved both snow levels immensely. I could still play them over and over.

The 2nd snow level, especially Final Run at the end was great. Invisible elites, Hunters, and tons of little guys running around. I loved to take a ghost and sprint to the banshee and then fly around and bomb everyone.

The 2nd snow level was Two Betryals. That was my second favorite mission in the game behind Assault on the Control Room.